1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a loop turner used for turning a loop member inside out.
The term "loop member" as used herein means any tubular member which has a loop form in cross section. Such a loop member is used as a handle of a bag or as a waist belt for example.
Particularly, the loop turner of the present invention is intended to be used for turning, inside out, a loop member which is prepared by sewing both longitudinal edges of a fabric strip. However, the material of which the loop member is made is not at all limitative.
2. Description of the Related Art
As shown in FIG. 19 of the accompanying drawings, a typical prior art loop turner B1 includes a bar body 70 which has a handle ring 70a at a rear end and an engaging hook 71 at a front end. The engaging hook 71 is associated with a needle member 72 which is connected to the bar body 70 for pivotal movement, as indicated by a double-headed arrow Na.
In use of the loop turner B1, the user first holds the handle ring 70a and inserts the bar body 70 into a loop member 59 from one open end 59a thereof until the engaging hook 71 projects out through the other open end 59b of the loop member 59. The loop member 59 may be prepared by sewing both longitudinal edges of a fabric strip together by a sewing yarn m. Thus, the loop member 59 initially has excess fringes 5) exposed outside together with the back surface 58B, whereas the appearance surface 58A of the loop member 59 is initially concealed inside the loop member.
Then, the user causes the needle member 72 to engage the open end 59b of the loop member 59 and slightly pulls the bar body 70 for bringing the engaging hook 71 into engagement with the open end 59b, as indicated by an arrow Nc in FIG. 19.
Finally, as indicated by an arrow Nb in FIG. 20, the user fully pulls back the bar body 70 for turning the loop member 59 inside out. As a result, the fringes 57 of the loop member 59 are concealed inside, whereas the appearance surface 58A of the loop member 59 is exposed.
However, the prior art loop turner B1 has been found to be disadvantageous in the following points.
First, the prior art loop turner B1 need be pushed into the loop member 59 for engagement and then pull back for turning the loop member 59 inside out. Thus, the loop turner B1 must be moved in two directions, which makes the loop turning operation rather cumbersome and time-taking. Further, the need for engaging the needle member 72 with the open end 59b of the loop member 59 renders the loop turning operation even more troublesome.
Secondly, as shown in FIG. 21, if the length L of the loop member 59 is greater than that of the loop turner B1, the loop member 59 must be creased or crimped on the bar body 70 before turning the loop member 59 inside out, and such a crease may deteriorate the appearance of the loop member 59 even after turning inside out. For solution of this problem, it becomes necessary to prepare a plurality of loop turners each having a different length and select a loop turner of a suitable length depending on the particular length of the loop member to be turned inside out, which causes a cost problem.